Eagle Martial Arts

How Martial Arts can help kids handle hard times

Trouble is inevitable for every human being, however, devastation is an option. Each and every one of us at some point are going to face hard times ranging from somewhat simple to severe. These are the factors we are unable to control. We are however, able to determine how we go through these trials of life. Everything we face in life is a learning ground or at least has the opportunity to become one. Unfortunately, many young people today are suffering because they've not been taught how to take advantage of those everyday opportunities to learn. In an attempt to make things easier for children, we've actually made things more difficult for them.

There's a beauty in falling

There is actually a beauty in falling down. It starts from the moment we bring those little angels home from the hospital. Our babies cry and we rush to see what could possibly be wrong with them. Are they hungry, wet, sick... Of course we want to make sure our babies needs are met but now that we've checked everything and they're still fussy, what can we do? Here comes a learning opportunity, will we pick them up and hold them until they quiet or will we allow them to cry for a time and let them calm themselves? It doesn't always seem like much of a big deal to see your child having difficulty with something and just step in and take care of it for them but each time we do that, we miss another opportunity for them to learn how to solve a problem. There is a solution for every problem. It may be a simple fix or it may take several steps over a long period of time. Our society has adopted an "everyone is a winner" mentality, now this is an important message to grasp. Everyone is a winner because we were all created with worth and value as a human being, (something society also seems to have forgotten.) However, everyone does not always win. Sometimes we lose, sometimes we fail, sometimes we don't get all A's. When we don't meet a standard does that mean we no longer have value, absolutely not, it simply means that we didn't come out on top at this particular time which is okay.

When I was a kid, you had to try out to play sports, I know, big taboo. I tried out for volleyball in high school because I really liked playing at the park and beach. I didn't make the team though, I was legally blind and kept losing the ball in the lights in the gym ceiling. That was a huge bummer but it wasn't the end. I tried out for the track team (even though I hated running but it was better than not being on a team at all) I made JV then Varsity the following year. Moral of the story; one, two, twenty defeats does not define your story. In fact, it causes you to learn how to be creative and think outside of the box. Many famous educators, scientist, pro athletes that we're all familiar with and marvel over faced multiple defeats and rejections which caused them to work and push harder to achieve their dreams. As I watched this past 2018 olympics, I wondered how many times those snowboarders crashed before they were able to hit those arial tricks. That's the difference between being a winner and winning. Every one of those athletes that showed up was a winner but not all of them won.

What Can Martial Arts Do?

Perseverance, the ability to endure over time, is one of the core values that kids learn when they enroll in Martial Arts. The purpose of the belt rank system is to gradually challenge kids to take on higher levels of difficulty. Each belt rank should present a new challenge for the student to overcome as they progress. In a safe, encouraging atmosphere, a good Instructor will help assist children in learning how to walk through the art of problem solving. Through guidance and mentoring, their Instructor will assist them in how to navigate everyday defeats that may occur and how to make sure they are better prepared to avoid certain defeat. Unfortunately, even some martial arts schools have bought into the win without work program. Trust me, you don't want to place your child there. When you're looking for a school, here are a few qualities you want to keep an eye out for:

is there a kind, caring team in place.

Do they take the time to get to know your child and family.

Are they tough but fair. They take the time to explain what they expect and why.

Do they allow your child to fail when necessary? When your child is not giving their best effort, they allow them to experience a consequence and teach them how to improve.

Martial Arts Schools are a fantastic arena to help kids learn how to crush challenges and become confident, competent kids that grow up to be successful adults. It is a teaching process though, take every opportunity you can to teach your kids how to be winners of life. If you'd like a fun, safe place to help your kids thrive both in sports and if life, give us a call, we would love to be a part of your journey. Be sure to check out our fb page, Eaglemalife.